The ‘Sir Jules’ and a Sega Song

The Sir Jules was a 711 ton ship employed mainly in the transportation of copra from Chagos and Agalega to Mauritius. A sketch of it is reproduced below:

Sir Jules

A “popular Creole folk song” or sega about the ‘Sir Jules’, one of many early lyrics preserved by Mr Jacques Cantin, and reproduced in a mixture of French and Kreol is transcribed below:

Mo meme ti cafre sept peaux

guête comment mi costaud

Pas même ène coute couteau

capave traverse mo la peau

Rouler, rouler, rouler mon p’tit Sir Jules

Courant li trop fort

ramène moi dans port

Ena ène joli bateau

comment dire  ene ti chateau

Temps en temps li allé dans île

nous appelle li p’tit Sir Jules

Rouler, rouler, rouler mon p’tit Sir Jules

Courant li trop fort

ramène moi dans port

Captaine ecque ingénieur

pénan pli grand Bonheur

qui chante ène ti séga

pou blié zotte tracas

Rouler, rouler, rouler mon p’tit Sir Jules

Courant li trop fort

ramène moi dans port

Captaine ecque zofficieers

avec tout l’équipage

nous faire tout ça tapaze

pou dire zotte banané

Rouler, rouler, rouler mon p’tit Sir Jules

Courant li trop fort

ramène moi dans port

Lère nous pé amisé

bisoin nous maziné

Sir Jules apé allé

dans ène mois li ava tourné

Rouler, rouler, rouler mon p’tit Sir Jules

Courant li trop fort

ramène moi dans port.

This text has been rendered into a rough and ready English version, minus the repetitions, as follows:

I am a (thick skinned) solid little Afro-Creole

see how strong I am

Not even a knife

can go through my skin

Turn, turn, turn my little ‘Sir Jules’

The water current is too strong

take me back to port (harbour)

There is a beautiful ship

which is like a castle

Very often it comes to the island

we call it little ‘Sir Jules’

The Captain and the Engineer

know no greater happiness

than to sing a little Sega song

to forget their troubles

The Captain and the Officers

together with all the crew

we’re making so much noise

to wish them Happy New Year

While we are having fun

we need to keep in mind

the ‘Sir Jules’ is departing

in one month’s time it will return

Turn, turn, turn my little ‘Sir Jules’

The water current is too strong

take me back to port.

© LDC Cuniah, 2011.

 

 

 

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